The Indiana e-Christian

Seventy Disciples representing twelve Hoosier congregations gathered at Southport Christian Church on Saturday, October 25, to learn more about “Living on the Edge”, the region’s process for congregational transformation.  The purpose of the meeting was to introduce pastors and church leaders to the process, giving them enough information to help the administrative boards of the congregations decide whether or not to enter the process of becoming a Luke 10 church.

Regional staff members Carolyn Reed and Dean Phelps, joined by Transformation Team members Carolyn Scanlan and Lee Huckleberry, presented the process to the group after leading them in a time of dwelling in the Word.  Luke 10:1-11 sets the scriptural context for the transformation process, and so congregations and pastors in the process spend time listening for a word through scripture and through conversation.

Seven congregations are currently involved in the pilot group for the process.  The pilot group was launched in May of 2007.  A key portion of the presentation came from Lee Huckleberry, pastor of Howard Park Christian Church in Clarksville, Ind.  Howard Park is one of the congregations in the pilot group.  Lee spoke freely about how the process has affected the congregation and his leadership.

Congregations that choose to enter the process are asked to make an 18-month financial commitment to cover costs associated with the process.  The initial 18 months also includes a commitment from the congregations to have guiding team members present at five training sessions.  In addition pastors are required to participate in their own process, which also includes five full-day training sessions and monthly pastors’ group meetings.

The region is looking for eight congregations to become the second group of congregations “Living on the Edge”.  The first training event for pastors and congregations in the second group will be held January 24-25.

The current facility for Little Eagle Creek Christian Church was built in 2002.

The congregation of Little Eagle Creek Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Westfield, Ind., celebrated its 150th anniversary on Sunday, October 26. 

Dr. Richard Hamm, former General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) preached at the morning worship service.  Dr. Hamm came to Little Eagle Creek as a student pastor and served the congregation from 1969 to 1974.

A luncheon following the service and an open house reception added to the day’s celebration.  Church memorabilia was proudly displayed as visitors and members reminisced about events in the life of the church.

Rev. Stephen Yarbrough is beginning his second year serving the congregation as senior minister.

Three Disciples congregations in Kokomo are sharing in ministry with Bon Air Elementary School in the city.  Northview Christian Church and South Side Christian Church have joined with First Christian to support a ministry with students at the school.

Building Blocks is a ministry with students in first through third grades at the school that are on free or reduced lunch. This ambitious program provides a nutritional foundation to students as a basis for improved concentration and education. Students receive backpacks of food on Friday afternoons to ensure proper nutrition for children during the weekends.

The congregations purchase food from Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette, Ind., pack the backpacks, and deliver them to the school. On Mondays the children return empty backpacks which are refilled and sent home again on the following Friday.

First Christian has also partnered with Bon Air Elementary in Kokomo in other ways. Bobcat Buddies began last year. Members of the church volunteer 30 minutes a week to read with students during the lunch hour. Most of these students would lack the opportunity to read with an adult without the church members giving of their time.

In addition, First Christian Church members have started a Happy Teeth program where second graders from five public schools are examined by volunteer dentists and, if needed, have sealant applied. Dental hygienists from Ivy Tech provide educational resources, clean the children’s teeth and work alongside the volunteer dentists.

The Camp Commission has released the schedule for camps and conferences at Bedford Christian Camp and Camp Barbee for the summer of 2009. 

The schedule for the coming summer includes three sessions of Grandparent and Me, two at Barbee and one at Bedford.  Grandparent and Me camp has been growing in popularity since its introduction two years ago.

The Camp Barbee schedule includes CROSS Camp for outdoor sports and recreation as well as MAD Camp for music, art and drama.  Four sessions of Young Disciples Camp, two at each campground, will be held again this summer.

Created to Be Me, the eighth grade camp focused on sexuality and faith issues, will be held at Camp Camby in 2009.  Camp Camby is located in Camby, Indiana, between Indianapolis and Mooresville.  This is the only camp available for eighth graders, so Camp Camby was selected in part because of the central location.

A complete schedele of camps and conferences for 2009 is available at http://www.indianadisciples.org/camp2009.php.

Over 40 seminarians and others preparing for ministry gathered at Camp Barbee near Leesburg, Ind., for the first Chalice Camp on October 17-19.  Chalice Camp was organized by the Disciples of Christ Seminarians (DOCS) group at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, with support from the faculty of CTS and the Indiana Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Campers and mentor-leaders pose at the end of Chalice Camp 2008. Photo by Paul Hartig.

Although many Chalice Camp attendees were students from Christian Theological Seminary, campers also came from the University of Chicago Divinity School and from Columbia Theological Seminary in Columbia, S.C.  A couple preparing for service as licensed ministers from the Disciples Central Rocky Mountain Region also attended.

Ron Allen and Linda McKiernan-Allen served as the primary leaders for Chalice Camp, providing valuable leadership and instruction.  Deborah Phelps, a student at CTS and 28-year educator, organized students and leaders to bring the camp to life.

Throughout the weekend, campers received instruction and guidance on practical areas of ministry, including conducting wedding and funeral services as well as performing baptisms.  The camp also included sessions on the Lord’s Supper, ministry structures and identity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and mistakes ministers make. 

Experienced pastor-mentors guided attendees at Chalice Camp through the weekend.  These mentor leaders shared from their experience and listened to the ministry stories, hopes and aspirations from campers.

Campers and leaders alike received a blessing from preachers who offered a message during each of the four worship services held over the weekend.  Ron Allen’s message on ”What It Means to Be a Disciples of Christ Minister” anchored the opening worship service on Friday evening.  Juan Rodriguez, pastor of Iglesia del Pueblo-Hope Center in Hammond, preached on Saturday morning, and Terri Owens, Dean of Students at the University of Chicago Divinity School, gave the message on Saturday evning.

Linda McKiernan-Allen gave the sermon at closing worship on Sunday, encouraging students to rejoice always, whatever the circumstances.  Linda’s message led into a service of commissioning for the campers.

During the commissioning service, campers received certificates of appreciation and a shoot of live ivy suitable for planting.  Giving ivy has historical significance as this was the practice at graduation from the School of Missions in the early 20th century.  Graduates of the School of Missions, who had completed preparation for work as missionaries, were given a sprig of ivy with the idea that they would plant it when they arrived at their mission station.

Initial feedback from the event has been very positive, and plans are underway for Chalice Camp in the fall of 2009.

The Regional Assembly did more than offer Indiana’s Disciples an opportunity for worship and fellowship.  It even presented more than the mission partnership with Disciples in the Congo.  The theme of the asssembly and one person’s experience among Congolese Disciples inspired two songs written by Hoosier Disciples that were presented for the first time at the assembly.

V.J. Stover, pastor of First Christian Church in Sheridan, translated the assembly theme into a six-verse hymn, Have You Heard (That Nothing Is Impossible with God).  The hymn was woven throughout the Friday evening worship service and sung as the closing hymn of the Assembly on Saturday.

In addition to an M.Div. from CTS, V.J. holds a B.A. in Music Education from the University of Evansville and a Master of Arts from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.  He has been a public school music director in southern Indiana and does not recall a time when he could not read music. 

V.J. has been composing since high school.  He has written a piece for every performing group that he has directed, including two cantatas for the Sheridan Community Choir that were performed during Easter sunrise services.  He also composed a musical for the Indiana region’s 150th anniversary.

Susan McNeely, a member of Southport Christian Church, was a member of the delegation that visited Mbandaka in May.  Her experience while there inspired her to write The River and the Tree. 

Susan wrote most of the devotional guide that Indiana Disciples used while the group was in Congo.  Although she has written some poetry, this was the first song that she has written.  During the trip, the group spent a full day on the Congo River, visiting churches in the Mbandaka district.  Feeling that was the day that the partnership was really forged, she felt that it must be making God happy.  The verses talk about the river, the tree and the people and how each makes glad the city of God.

Once the poem was down, according to Susan, she realized that it could work well as a song.  She added a chorus and began working on a melody. 

Susan had some musical training as a child but took up playing the mountain dulcimer two years ago.  Using the Applachian folk instrument to compose the melody gave the song an American folk air.  She hopes to hear the tune combined with Congolese drumming to bring together both musical cultures.

Congolese cloth and a Congolese talking drum adorned the worship space for the 2008 Regional Assembly at Purdue, October 10-11.

More than 400 Disciples from across Indiana gathered at Purdue University on October 10 and 11 for the 2008 Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana.  The West Lafayette campus was host to Hoosier Disciples for worship, study and fellowship.

Gathering under the theme, “Did You That … Nothing Is Impossible with God!”, Indiana’s Disciples received challenging messages from Rev. Elizabeth Myer Boulton, minister of discipleship at Boston’s Old South Church, and from Regional Minister Richard L. Spleth.

The new mission partnership between the Christian Church in Indiana and the Mbandaka District of the 10th Community, Disciples of Christ, in the Democratic Republic of Congo took center stage at the assembly.  This partnership was prompted by the Disciples Division of Oversees Ministry and was finalized last May when a delegation of nine Hoosier Disciples visited Mbandaka.  DOM will also give oversight to the partnership.

Congolese cloth, a gift received from Rev. Illumbe, Principal Supervising Pastor for the Mbandaka District, decked the table at the focal point of the worship space.  Sounds of the talking drum, a Congolese instrument, called attendees into worship.  Overseas Ministry loaned the drum for use at the Assembly.

The Assembly opened on Friday afternoon with a lunch gathering for clergy and their guests, sponsored by the Pension Fund of the Christian Church.  Dr. TImothy James, Associate General Minister and Administrative Secretary of the National Convocation, addressed the clergy.  Dr. James drew on the theme of the assembly to remind clergy that we serve a God who specializes in the impossible.

The business and plenary session on Saturday morning featured reports from various ministry areas withing the life of the church.  Absent from this assembly were any resolutions for consideration.  The election of officers for the 2009-10 biennium was the only item of business requiring a vote from the assembly on the agenda.  The report of the Nominating Committee was approved by unanimous voice vote.

The business session concluded with a report from the Congo Partnership Task Force.  Bob Shaw, chair of the Task Force, and Cheryl Cloar, staff minister for mission and women’s ministry, discussed the partnership and presented a 12-minute video on the experiences of the delegation that visited the Mbandaka DIstrict last May.

Regional Minister Rick Spleth installs the newly elected officers during closing worship of the 2008 Regional Assembly. Pictured (l. to r.) Spleth, Pamela Ditson-McCall, Mark Calvert-Rosenberger, Warren Manns, Mike Srbljan.

Delegates at the 2008 Regional Assembly unanimously received the report of the Nominating Committee and elected the officers who will serve the region for two years beginning January 1, 2009.  The officers elected to serve are: Pamela Ditson-McCall, Moderator; Mark Calvert-Rosenberger, Vice Moderator; Warren Manns, Secretary; and Mike Srbljan, Treasurer.

Rev. Pam Ditson-McCall is the Senior Minister of the First Christian Church of Frankfort, IN.  Prior to that position she served First Christian Church in Flora.  She has also served congregations in Oklahoma and Nebraska.  She is a graduate of Phillips Theological Seminary and has served for several years on the Regional Board. Pam currently serves on the Pastoral Personnel Relations Committee of the Board. 

Rev. Mark Calvert-Rosenberger is the Senior Minister of First Christian Church in Bloomington.  He has served previous congregations in Oklahoma and Tennessee.  Mark is a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School and has served on the Regional Board in the Tennessee Region as well as the Indiana Commission on Ministry. 

Warren Manns is an elder at Westview Christian Church, Indianapolis.  He has recently retired from a 40-year career with American Airlines where he has served as a Manager for Business Development.  He has extensive experience in meeting planning and strategic planning.  He is a graduate of Morgan State University, in Baltimore, Md.  His wife, Rev. Josephine Manns, is a hospice chaplain and Minister of Christian Education at Westview.  

Rev. Mike Srbljan is minister of the East Christian Church in Markleville.  Mike was ordained this year at the Central Christian Church in Lebanon, following graduation last year from Christian Theological Seminary.  In addition to his ministerial responsibilities he serves as the Finance Manager for the Whitewater Valley Presbytery of Indiana. 

In addition to electing these four persons, delegates approved those nominated to serve as Commission Chairs and at-large members of the Regional Board.  The Nominating Committee Report is available at www.indianadisciples.org.